Herbert Spencer

the long version

"Herbert Spencer's sociology and his theory of social evolution are thought by many to be dead. This--as Talcott Parsons pointed out--is because they do not read him. Spencer is essentially a modern thinker, and his work demonstrates the absurdity of many distinctions between supposed 'schools' in contemporary sociology. He was one of the earliest exponents of a 'structural-functional' analysis of society, and used this specifically to provide a systematic theory of social change showing that any supposed conflict between 'functional' analysis and an account of social change is inaccurate. His contribution was considerable not only in helping to clarify the conceptual basis of sociology, but also in undertaking broad studies in comparative sociology within a necessary classification of types of society. His resulting account of particular social institutions--the family, religion, property, the professions, etc., and especially of their nature in modern industrial society--shows remarkable insight and provides a fund of knowledge which is still worthwhile."--Publisher description.